1. Technical Field
The present disclosure generally relates to support stands, and particularly to a support stand for a flat-panel display monitor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Flat-panel display monitors, such as liquid crystal display monitors, offer advantages over cathode ray tubes such as reduced size, smaller weight, and better image quality. A viewing angle and a height of the flat-panel display monitor can be adjusted without moving a support stand of the flat-panel display monitor because of its small weight.
Referring to FIG. 7, one such support stand generally includes a base member 11, an elevating mechanism 13, a rotatable bracket 15, and a monitor bracket 17. The monitor bracket is configured for attaching to a flat-panel display monitor (not shown). The rotatable bracket 15 is configured for connecting the monitor bracket 17 and the elevating mechanism 13. The elevating mechanism 13 is positioned on the base member 11.
The elevating mechanism 13 includes an elevating member 131, two pivot shafts 132, a support member 133, two mounting barrels 134, two guiding members 135, and two coiled springs 137. The elevating member 131 includes two mounting portions 136 formed at an end and defines a plurality of oil grooves 138 in opposite side portions of the elevating member 131. The oil grooves 138 are configured for storing lubricating oil. The support member 133 defines two guide grooves (not labeled) at opposite sides for receiving the side portions of the elevating member 13. Each coiled spring 137 includes a coiled portion (not labeled) and a free portion (not labeled) connecting to the coiled portion.
To assemble the elevating mechanism 13, the guiding members 135 are sleeved on the opposite side portions of the elevating member 131 correspondingly. The opposite side portions of the elevating member 131 together with the guiding members 135 are slidably received in the guide grooves of the support member 133 correspondingly. Thus, the elevating member 131 is capable of sliding relative to the support member 133. The coiled portion of each coiled spring 137 is sleeved on each of the mounting barrels 134, and the free portion of each coiled spring 137 is fixed to the support member 133. Each of the pivot shaft 132 is passed through each of the mounting barrels 134 and fixed to each of the mounting portions 136 of the elevating member 131.
The monitor bracket 17 is rotatably connected to the rotatable bracket 15 by a pivot shaft 155 so that the flat-panel display monitor is rotatable with the monitor bracket 17. The viewing angle of the flat-panel display monitor can be adjusted by rotating the rotatable bracket 15 relative to the elevating mechanism 13. The height of the flat-panel display monitor can be adjusted by the elevating mechanism 13.
The support stand further includes a rotatable mechanism 19. The rotatable mechanism 19 includes a rotatable member 192 and a support base 194. An upper surface of the rotatable member 192 is fixed to the base member 11 and a bottom surface of the rotatable member 192 is rotatably mounted on the support base 194. Thus, the rotatable member 192 can be rotated with the base member 11 relative to the support base 194, that is, the flat-panel display monitor can be rotated relative to the support base 194.
However, the elevating mechanism 13 of the support stand has a complicated structure, thus it is inconvenient to manufacture and assemble the elevating mechanism 13. In order to rotate the flat-panel display monitor, an extra mechanism (the rotatable mechanism 19) should be provided. Therefore, the cost of the support stand is relatively high. In addition, the rotatable mechanism 19 cannot restrict a rotation angle of the flat-panel display monitor. Further, because the support base 194 support the weight of all of the other components, thus a high friction may be created between the rotatable member 192 and the support base 194. As a result, a user may need to exert great effort on the flat-panel display monitor in order to be able to rotate the flat-panel display monitor with the rotatable member 192 relative to the support base 194.
Therefore, a new support stand for a flat-panel display monitor is desired in order to overcome the above-described shortcomings.